


You Don't Have To Do This

by The_Sickfic_Sideblog



Series: Sick Klance [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fever, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It wasn't intended as Klance but it could be read as such, Short & Sweet, Sickfic, klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 11:36:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10306412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Sickfic_Sideblog/pseuds/The_Sickfic_Sideblog
Summary: Keith is a bit delirious and a huge mess. Lance is a bit annoyed and a wonderful caretaker.





	

“You don’t have to do this…”

Lance stopped and frowned. He was in the middle of dabbing Keith’s forehead with a cold cloth, careful not to let any of the icy water drip down the Red Paladin’s cheeks. This was  _ exactly _ why he didn’t want to be assigned this job. Keith was already stubborn as hell when he was feeling okay, but  _ this _ ?

“Actually, I do. Shiro said I have to while the others talk to the Blades of Marmora. About  _ you _ .” Lance replied.

Keith was  _ encased _ in a pile of blankets, when just an hour ago he was trying to keep up with Kolivan on the training deck. Shiro had to physically pull him off the deck and put him in bed, and assigned Lance to make sure his fever came down and he didn’t get up. In that span of time, Keith’s fever had completely spiked, bordering on dangerous levels, and it was beginning to show.

“…what do you think they’re talking about me? About…what about me?”

That really didn’t sound good. Keith wasn’t the most articulate in the world, but he could form proper sentences 99.9% of the time. For the first time since being told to care for Keith, he felt an ominous concern in his chest.

Realistically, Lance figured that Shiro was ripping Kolivan a new one, lecturing about how even though Keith was partially Galra, he was still human. And humans aren’t very good at training with fevers. Or maybe they were negotiating the technicalities of Keith being Galra. Or something else equally serious or embarrassing. But Lance knew if he said something along those lines, Keith would put up his stubborn wall again.

“Probably about keeping that cool suit they gave you. The one with the nodes on the neck? Those look more badass than the paladin armor. Maybe we’ll all get those three-eyed masks or something.”

Keith didn’t respond to that statement, “You could just leave….’m not getting up…too sore…”

“Shiro wants me to take care of you. What, you think we’re all just gonna leave you to fend for yourself when you can barely talk?”

It was meant as a rhetorical statement. It wasn’t taken as such. “It wouldn’t be the first time…”

Lance froze as if he were blasted by his lion. All irritation fled his mind. He shifted so he could properly face Keith, daring to look him right in the glossy eyes.

“Have we left you like this before, Keith? Has anyone?”

The Red Paladin shifted under Lance’s gaze, “No…I meant I’ve fended for myself before…’n worse states than this…”

“What do you mean?”

Keith directed his eyes down, “Was out in the desert….dessert? Desert….for a while….got sick…couldn’t stop throwin’ up…” The brim of his eyelids started to quiver with water, “…couldn’t even get up…’s not like I could’ve got back to the Garrison anyway…or anywhere else…”

Lance couldn’t respond. He didn’t know how.

“So….y-you don’t have to do this, Lance…” Keith’s voice trembled, “I-I can handle myself….’ve always had to…” He paused, and the tears overflowed, “….please don’t go…”

The Blue Paladin didn’t think. He only acted. He delicately positioned the washcloth on Keith’s forehead and gently wiped the tears away, then gently nudged Keith's chin up to lock eyes again.

“I have to do this. Not because Shiro told me to. Because you’re sick and I care about you. We all care about you. And I’m going to stay right here, and make sure you get through this okay. No one is going to leave you to fend for yourself ever again.”


End file.
